Journey to the Top
by enasencca
Summary: When they have graduated from the academy, Ninjas receive their Pokemon partner should they be deemed worthy by Arceus. Now it's Uzumaki Naruto's turn, and with his Pokemon by his side he will become the best Ninja he can be. Of course, he'll have some help on the way...
1. An Egg-cellent Idea

**Before I start with this story, let me make something clear:**

 **THIS IS NOT A COPY OF _NARUTO AND POKEMON: POWER OF PARTNERSHIP._**

 **Yes, I was inspired by that fic, and yes, I love it so, so much, but this will hardly be identical, and I have no intention of ripping that fic off. This is an original work inspired by Mhyrloc's amazing fic, which unfortunately looks dead. Some Pokemon might be the same, and the idea is the same, but rest assured I'm going to try my best to make it different. A predictable story is a boring story after all.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or Naruto. If I did I would be richer than Bill Gates.**

* * *

"Talking"

" _Thinking"_

 **"Poke-speak"**

* * *

The God of Pokemon, Arceus himself, surveyed the hidden village of Konoha from his realm. He had been intrigued by the events that occurred the day before.

A Genin fresh out of the academy with no Pokemon to speak of, defeated a Chunnin and his own Pokemon partner. Not without help, but it was still a remarkable feat for someone so young and inexperienced.

Of course, it wasn't anything shocking. These kind of things weren't anything new, as prodigies sprung up like weeds in every village. They were a bit like a visit from an old friend; surprising, unexpected and delightful, but ultimately not that uncommon. However, Arceus had been watching the boy in question for a long time.

Naruto Uzumaki had suffered in the hands of the village, all because he was a container of the Kyuubi. By all means he should have been bitter, nursing hatred towards the people who had made him an outcast. But Naruto kept his pure heart instead, and sought to gain the village's approval instead of turning against it.

Now it was time for Arceus to choose a Pokemon to gift the child.

The God knew that above all, Naruto wanted a friend. Someone he could rely on, someone he could trust. That factor, combined with the boy's other interests, and Arceus knew what Pokemon suited him.

Arceus concentrated, and an egg appeared before him. It was a medium sized brownish orange with black markings. The God gave a satisfied nod.

He then turned his gaze on one Sasuke Uchiha. Like Naruto, the boy had also suffered, having seen his family slaughtered by his brother. But unlike the Jinchuuriki, he had been consumed by a thirst for power and revenge. Sasuke needed to learn that power wasn't everything, and that true strength came from protecting others. There were many Pokemon who could teach them that, but the boy wouldn't give any of them a chance. There was only one option.

A decently sized egg maaterialized. It was a light blue and black, with a yellow star in the middle.

Next was Sakura Haruno. A painfully average girl who didn't seem to have what it took to be a shinobi, but Arceus knew she had potential. She could be an accomplished medic nin, a genjutsu user or even a taijutsu specialist! If only she would realise that... and stop obsessing over Sasuke Uchiha. But now she posed a problem, her lack of interests meant Arceus wasn't sure which Pokemon would best suit her.

An small egg popped into existence. It was of varying shades of pink, and had a white stripe in the middle.

Then it was time for Ino Yamanaka. As the Yamanaka clan had long been partnered with either psychic or grass Pokemon, Arceus saw no reason to break the trend. An Exeggcute would usually be his first choice, but he felt like it wouldn't be the best partner for Ino... The girl might not give the "ugly" Pokemon a chance.

A small, pale, almost white egg appeared. It was speckled with light green and purple.

After that was Nara Shikamaru. Arceus knew just what would suit the lazy Nara. A medium hot pink and cream egg came into being.

Choji Akimichi was next. A huge, dull yellow egg with black markings and two red rings on each side manifested.

Then it was time for Inuzuka Kiba's Pokemon. He needed to learn discipline and the value of hard work. If Arceus gave him a strict Pokemon it would evidently lead to clashes, so he needed to be more subtle.

A medium sized blue egg with black markings and a single yellow line at the top came into view.

Shino Aburame was afterwards. Choosing the boy's Pokemon was easy. A tiny, whitish egg appeared. It had some light brown and green markings.

Finally it was time to choose Hyuuga Hinata's Pokemon. A shy, timid girl, she needed to be more confident in herself. Arceus knew what Pokemon would help her do so.

A yellow egg with a small red band around the tip appeared.

Now that the God's work was done, he settled into a more comfortable position. Tomorrow should prove interesting...

* * *

Today was the day.

Naruto had arrived an hour before the ceremony would have even started, owing to the fact that he had turned in early the day before. He wasn't taking any chances!

Today he would receive his Pokemon Partner!

Naruto had wondered whether his Partner would like him. For all he knew, they could end up hating him and they'd fight a lot. But Iruka had told him the bond between Human and Pokemon was always strong, and he needn't worry.

The boy hoped he would be great friends with his Pokemon, like how Iruka was like with his Exploud. The two were almost always together, never seen apart. The idea of having a good friend he could trust appealed to Naruto, and he wished the ceremony would start already.

The Ceremony was held in a small clearing, completely devoid of trees and grass. All the other graduates were there. They were either daydreaming, biting their nails, or just standing quietly. It was clear that everybody was impatient and excited. Even the stoic Sasuke Uchiha had a smirk on his face.

It didn't take long.

The clearing suddenly burst into flames of all colours, startling everyone. Some of the weak willed genin passed out in dead faint. The heat and the oppressing aura was almost too much.

Before the rest of the graduates could faint too, the flames started to die down to usual heights. Emerging from the fire was a majestic Pokemon everyone recognised from their history books.

It resembled a massive bird, a mix between a phoenix and a peacock, though no one in their right mind would call it an animal. It's feathers seemed to be made from pure swirling flame, either gold or red. It carried itself with dignity and grace, it's bright orange eyes taking them all in.

It was Ho Oh, the Legendary Rainbow Pokemon. While Konoha was usually visited by Entei, Ho Oh would appear when the graduates were particularly promising. The Pokemon had appeared before the Sandaime and the Yondaime's classes, two legends, and the fact was not lost on the Hokage. That meant that one of these graduates had the potential to be great.

 **Greetings.** Ho Oh said. It's voice was gentle and composed. **I am Ho oh. I am here** **to deliver the gift of alliance as agreed within our age old pact. Know that the choices you have made, the paths you have walked, have lead you to this day. Remain true to yourselves, and to your allies, and we of poke-kind will always remain beside you. But know also, that just as we remember and honour our allies, so too do we remember our enemies. Harm our kindred only when absolutely necessary, and never seek to enslave another living being. Remember these rules, and remember that we are always watching.**

Suddenly, Ho oh became brighter and brighter, so bright that everyone had to avert their eyes. The flames that had been flickering around the Legendary grew larger, before suddenly rushing at them. Nine of the graduates clutched their arms as they felt searing pain, a seal branded into their skins. The pain passed as quickly as it came. When the light cleared, a few eggs were hovering in front of their respective partners, the graduates who had received a new seal on their arms. The rest had no seal or egg to speak of.

"Hey! Why didn't I get one!"

"Where's my egg?!"

"This sucks!"

"There has to be a mistake!"

Ho Oh gave the hysterical mass of students a disapproving glare that could, ironically, freeze water. **There is no error.** **You did not receive an egg for you failed to honor and respect our kind the way our pact commands you to do. You see us as mere animals, mindless beasts who you can treat as pets, and therefore you're not worthy to even catch a glimpse of me, let alone have a partner of your own.**

That silenced the protests fairly quickly, and the Anbu soon appeared to escort all of them away. They would be given extensive teaching on the matter of Pokemon, and if in a month they fail yet again, they would have to become a ninja without the aid of a Pokemon partner, which was practically a death sentence. Most people choose to drop out if that happened.

Ho Oh turned to the remaining graduates, a mere nine children. Far less than what was expected. **You who remain, I deliver my sincere congratulations. May you stay true to yourselves and your Pokemon, and never break our pact. For Arceus has given you these eggs to care for, but he can also take them away. Heed my warning Mortals, and pray you will never invite Arceus's wrath.** The warning sent chills down the spines of everyone present. Apparently satisfied, the legendary gave the an approving nod.

There was another flash of light, and Ho Oh was gone.

* * *

 **What Pokemon do you think the rookie nine got? Tell me your guesses through Reviews! The person with the most accurate guess may ask me for their favourite character's Pokemon without having to wait chapters!**


	2. Fire-Forged Friends

**I have Important news: I need help writing this story.**

 **For starters, I'm not that good in Japanese, which is a problem considering where the Narutoverse takes place in. I am also not skilled in writing and designing battles, as well as writing in general. It would be a great help to me if someone volunteered, and it will also mean I will be able to upload chapters more quickly. If you're interested, please PM me.**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto or Pokemon.**

* * *

 **"** Talking"

" _Thinking"_

 **"Poke Speak"**

* * *

If one were to venture into Uzumaki Naruto's apartment, the first thing they would see was a rather large Egg, swaddled with blankets and resting on the bed. Next to said Egg, on the floor, were the remaining blankets, arranged to make a makeshift bed.

Naruto had been watching the egg closely when Iruka entered. The Teacher took a moment to survey the apartment and the condition it was in.

"Naruto," He asked, more curious than anything. "Why are your blankets on the floor?"

"I don't want to break the egg, so I'm going to sleep here for now!"

Iruka could understand the boy's logic. Naruto always moved around when asleep, and there was a great risk of hitting the egg. The egg was hardly that fragile, but Iruka couldn't blame the boy for being so worried.

Pokemon Eggs were very resistant to physical trauma, or else any careless ninja would find themselves without a partner. They were also able to hatch in almost any temperature, so long as it wasn't too extreme.

Still, all newly graduated ninjas usually handled their eggs like water balloons; ready to burst at any given moment. It was actually quite endearing. But Iruka had a job to do.

"I need to discuss something important with you Naruto."

Naruto reluctantly tore his gaze away from the egg and looked at his teacher. "Sure! What's the matter Iruka-Sensei?"

After the incident with Mizuki, the Sandaime had asked Iruka to investigate the academy. What the chunnin had found shocked him: Naruto's education had been completely sabotaged.

Sloppy Taijutsu Styles, Fed wrong information, the list went on and on. It was enough to make Iruka want to unleash a highly destructive Jutsu on his colleagues. The Sandaime had been equally angry, if not more so.

They both agreed that while Naruto's severe lack of a proper education had to be remedied, he must not find out that the Academy Teachers had hated him so much.

The excuse Iruka was using was simple: Naruto's grades had been absymal, so the Chunnin had volunteered as his private tutor. They would be working on Naruto's taijutsu style, chakra control and more. Iruka made it clear that he did not expect Naruto to master everything by the end of the week, only improve.

The Chunnin had expected Naruto to make a face and complain about studying theory, no matter how necessary it was. And he did.

Naruto recovered quickly though, and soon he was jumping up and down in excitement, before he gave a cheeky grin. "Does this mean you're going to tell me how you keep finding me after I pull a prank Iruka-Sensei?"

Iruka laughed and ruffled his student's hair. "Nope. I need a way to keep you out of trouble after all."

Naruto opened his mouth, probably to say something else, when they heard a cracking sound. Both of them turned to see Naruto's egg wobbling, cracks beginning to appear on it...

...Before the egg burst into flames, quickly lighting both the bed and the blankets on fire. It seemed as if a Campfire had formed on Naruto's bed.

Chunnin and Genin stared at the scene for a few minutes, before Naruto snapped out of his trance.

"AAAAAAAHHHH, MY EGG!"

* * *

Naruto leapt into action, grabbing a nearby pillow (which had somehow escaped the flames) and attempted to put out the flames with it. Not only did the attempt fail, said pillow caught on fire too, prompting Naruto to drop it quickly. The flames began to lick the wooden floor of Naruto's apartment.

"Iruka-Sensei! What should we do?" The Genin asked the man, who had remained rooted in his spot. The chunnin took one look at the flames devouring Naruto's apartment and his hands flashed through some signs at top speed.

 **"Water Release: Water Stream!"** A stream of water was expelled from Iruka's mouth, which he then used to extinguish the flames licking at the floor.

"My Egg!" Naruto was in near hysterics, watching his still burning egg. "We need to put the fire out!"

Iruka paused for a moment, before he shook his head. "There's no need for that Naruto. Your Pokemon is a fire type; that's why the egg burst into flames. The fire won't hurt it, but spraying it with water certainly will." The Chunnin recalled talking to a friend of his, who's partner was a Ponyta. The friend had fondly told the teacher how his egg had suddenly burst into flames when it was about to hatch.

Hearing Iruka's explanation was enough to make Naruto relax, although he was still worried if his anxious fidgeting was anything to go by. Iruka continued to put out the remaining flames, although careful not to touch the egg itself.

After about ten minutes (Though neither of them had been keeping track) the fire surrounding the egg died down. The egg itself was now a brownish red colour, the colour of Molten Lava instead of the bright orange colour it once was.

Then cracks began to appear on the surface of the egg. It spread outwards, until the whole egg seemed as if it would shatter with just the slightest touch. Any minute now, and Naruto's partner would finally hatch.

And it did. Although in a much more dramatic fashion than either of them expected.

The egg downright _exploded_ , causing both Naruto and Iruka to take cover under the bed. Bits of eggshell and glowing ashes rained down, covering every square inch of Naruto's room. It was a messy sight, but Naruto wasn't paying attention to that as he scrambled out into the open. He was looking at his bed.

Sitting on his bed where his egg used to be was a Pokemon. The Pokemon was dog like in appearance, with bright orange fur with black stripes along its back and legs. The fur on its muzzle, chest belly and tail however, was cream in colour, as well as a tuft of fur on the top of its head. The coat was shaggier on its chest and tail.

The Pokemon blinked when it saw Naruto, tilting its head in curiousity. Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat. For once the Genin was at a loss of words.

The silence was broken when the Pokemon all but launched itself into Naruto's arms. Genin and Pokemon tumbled over, hitting the charred floor with an audible thump. The Pokemon then immediately began licking Naruto's face, much to the boy's dismay and Iruka's amusement. It didn't take long for Naruto to get completely covered in slobber. The Pokemon soon stopped, sitting on Naruto's lap with a happy expression on his face.

"Growlithe!"

* * *

 **So here's Chapter 2! I apologise if it's a bit short, but I'm currently having exams.**

 **Before all of you rage at me for not giving Naruto a Vulpix, consider this:**

 **Naruto is hated by the whole village because of the Kyuubi. What would Konoha do if he received a Pokemon that resembled the Nine-Tails? They'd make his life even worse, that's what. The villagers would take the Vulpix as a confirmation from Arceus, a sign that Naruto is indeed the demon they all fear he is. They would hate him even more.**

 **So yeah, no.**

 **I gave Naruto Growlite because it's one of the most Loyal Pokemon, being a dog and all. It's Pokedex entry even highlights it! "Extremely loyal to its Trainer, it will bark at those who approach the Trainer unexpectedly and run them out of town." And it's also stated to have a "a brave and trustworthy nature. It fearlessly stands up to bigger and stronger foes." Does that sound a lot like Naruto to you? And anyway, Naruto really does need loyal friends. He doesn't really have any at this point in time.**

 **Also Growlithe is orange. That's a plus.**

 **Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome! Flames will be ignored!**


End file.
